Matting for floors



No. 620,498. Patented Feb. 28,1899.

J. A. RENNIE.

MATTING FOB FLOORS.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1898.)

(No Model.)

jnvenwrz- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN "RENNIE, or PHILADELPHIA, rmnnsrmrmin.

MATTING'FOR FLOORS.

srncmcnrroiv' forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,498, dated February"28, 1899.

Application shipment: 20,1898.- Serialllo.899,'824. airman.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALEXANDER REN- NIE, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphla and State of Pennsylvania, have in- I a mat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 rep 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Mattings for Floors, &c., of which the following is a specification. p My invention relates to certain improvements in matting, the same being composed to of a plurality of juxtaposed pieces, which latter may be made of leather or analogous material and arranged in rows, each piece being provided with perforations at orv near its'ends to receive therein fastening devices, by which [5 latter said pieces when in assembled position are held against displacement; and the object nflny invention is to. produce in a simple and inexpensive mannera matting of this character which shall be exceptionally durable and which may be readily and compactly folded or rolled for transportation.

My invention further provides substantial and convenient end pieces for the matting, wherein the wires are held and made practically invisible, thus giving to the matting a perfectly smooth edge which will prevent any possibility of the entamgezlement therewith of ladies skirts. I a V I Heretofore in assembling .mattings of this character it has been the custom to arrange the said pieces in rows, (ordinarilydone by hand,)- so that the perforations in the pieces of one row will lie contiguous to and in register with the perforations in,the pieces of.

the next. succeeding row, and. thereafter inserting wires through said perforations to bind and hold the same in assembled position; but

it has been found in practice to be a difficult.

matter to arrange the perforations in perfect alinement, so as to permit of the free and unobstructed passage of the wires therethroughi Now my invention is" designed to. overcome thisdiificu'lty; and it consists, substantially,

in forming the perforations. in said pieces in 5 such a manner that the wires may be quickly and easily passed through, without any re-.

sistance, even though the perforations are net in perfect alinement.

- My invention further consists of the novel 50 features of construction and arrangementof parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and clearly defined in the appended claims. I

Figure lrepresents a perspectlve view of resents a longitudinal section of a small portion thereof, taken on'the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig.- 3 represents a similar view showing. a

slightly-different form of perforation; Fig.

4 represents a longitudinal section of one'of the end pieces referred to with a portion of the wires in position therein. vFigs, 5,and -6 represent similar views showing other ways of fasteningthe wires.

Similar reference letters and numerals indi- 6 5 cate corresponding partsin all the figures.

it will be observed that each perforation 3 is formed with vertical and horizontal extensions 4 and 5, respectively, so that in the event .80 of the pieces moving vertically orhorizontally for becoming in any other way-displaced, so as to bring the perforations in the pieces in one row or any one of them out of register oraline iment with the perforation in the pieces or any" v one of them of thenext succeeding row, a

suflicientopening will always'present itself for the insertion of the wires. 6. InLFig. 2

this displacement is clearly shownto the left, where the perforations 3 in the pieces behind 0 are shownas lying slightly belowor partially out of vertical alineinent with the perforations 3 in the pie'cesinyfront.

It will-be apparent thatthe wires when in position within: the" perforations described '95. will 'bearagainst' the walls thereof, sons to prevent-any undue movement-of the pieces. 2,'but will'permit of the latter assuminga perfectly level position while-on the floor.

,.-In Fig. 8-1 have shown instead of the pertoo forations just described oppositely-disposed curved slots or perforations 3, Whose radii are approximatelythe distance between the centers of the opposing slots, the curvatures therefore being hardly perceptible. Thus should the pieces move vertically at either end a sufficient opening will always be left for the insertion of the wires. This vertical displacement is shown clearly to the right of of F g. 3, where the slots in the pieces behind are shown as out of alinement with the slots in the pieces in front.

7 designates end pieces for the mat or matting, said end pieces being preferably composed of metal or other suitable material and arranged along the edges of the matting, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. These end pieces are perforated, as shown at 8, said perforations being splayed or beveled outwardly, so as to provide a depression 0, wherein the ends of the wires are forced to form heads thereon, which are made flush with the face of the end pieces, thus positively preventing a displacement of the said wires.

In Fig. 5 the depression 9 extends along the length of the end piece 7 and the wires 6 pass through the perforation S and are bent so as to lie within'the said depression, in which construction it will be observed that the depression 9 is sufficiently deep toconceal the wires below the-outer face of the end piece 7 I In Fig. 6 the end piece 7 is shown as provided with a longitudinal perforation or bore 8, which is arranged upon the inner face thereof, wherein the wires are inserted and entirely concealed from view.

10 designates a plurality of rings provided with perforations, which may be similar to those shown and described with relation to the pieces 2, said rings being placed upon the end rods of the mat between the groups of .pieces 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. These rings may be made of metal, if desired, in order that more substantial ends may be given to the mat.

It will of course be apparent that the mat may be made up of a plurality of pieces of felt, papier-mach, metal, &c., or said pieces may be entirely dispensed with and solid blocks of the proper size substituted therefor, which would perhaps be desirable in the event of forming the mat of wood, rubber, cork, or papier-mach.

What I claim as new is 1. A mat composed of a plurality of juxtaposed strips, said strips being provided with perforations to receive the securing means;

and extensions therefrom to facilitate the insertion of the said means, as set forth.

2. -In a mat of the character described, a strip having perforations with the extensions to facilitate the insertion of rods through the perforations in case the strips are out of alinement while being assembled, as set forth.

. JOHN A. RENNIE.

Witnesses:

N ELLIE FOLEY, WM. II. KNORR. 

